Danu sat remembering the events that had all spurred her journey and resistance to the bonds of false traditions. With her newfound power of animancy she had transformed into a wildcat and outran the men sent to bring her back. She had even been able to become herself again, contrary to the tales Queen Mab’Ailsling had told them. How she relished in the feeling of the wind under her wings as a bird, or bounding over rocks as a mountain goat, or the slick feeling of being an otter. It had been the most intoxicating and joyous experience of her life. In her journey to find the humans and their ships she had learned to hide her wings from sight and appear more as they do. It was a simple charm, yet an important one learned in her lessons. They were an expression of her soul and she need but only place them in a walnut hung about her neck on a cord. She found that they were not so bad as she had been led to believe, yet even so she could not bring herself to show them what she truly was. They were surprised as it was by her animancy. Some knew of the rare druidic power and others thought her a werewolf of some devilish monster. Closer to the larger cities the people seemed less surprised by her changes and whilst they kept a respectable distance, they were not necessarily afraid of her.

What confused Danu most as she sat on the hard stone floor of the jail dungeons was that Cernunnos had sent her here. He had given her the last of his beloved’s power in the form of that staff, indeed she had always felt the presence of love and growth within it. He had even shown her that she would do great things and save them all with the staff. He must then have seen that she would lose the staff to Pavreck, that he would use its power against them, that it would be her fault should they fail to stop them.

‘Perhaps the stories weren’t all lies after all. Maybe Cernunnos had sent me here to give all that power to Pavreck,’ she said to herself. They’re all here waiting for me to become something powerful enough to save them. I’m not even certain I’m here to do that now. I’ve been such a foolish girl all my life believing in others. They’ve lied and used me every time. Danu’s woe hung on her again as it had in the tunnels and sewers.

‘You alright Miss Danu,’ came the voice of Wick. The boy stood in front of her, and Danu opened her eyes. ‘It’s alright to cry sometime Miss Danu, me pa always said as much,’ Danu hadn’t realised she had been crying. The people in the room all looked away from her embarrassed at having seen something so intimate. Blink and Ra’Handa too looked at their feet. They knew what they were asking of her. It shamed them to place so much on her shoulders. The boy Wick never looked away. He smiled a toothy smile on a face marked with grime; it seemed he found it near impossible to keep it clean. How can you smile at a time like this. After all you’ve been through. Your parents and almost everyone you’ve ever known are dead, thought Danu looking at the boy.

‘Thank you Wick,’ she managed to get out and wiped the tears away. ‘I don’t know if I can do this,’ she added.

‘Well, that’s alright too Miss Danu. I’ve seen them over there fight before, and I believe in them. I seen you do amazing things as well. Me ma used to tell me that if you ain’t even tried then you’ve already failed,’ Wick said with conviction and enthusiasm. He sounded most proud as the spoke of his mother and father. They may be gone from this plane, but Wick had found a way to hold onto them.

‘I suppose you’re right, Wick. I’m not sure I know my power anymore… or trust it,’ she said. Why are you confiding in this boy. You really are nothing but a little fledgewing barely flexing her wings for the first time, she scolded herself.

‘Well, it’s yours ain’t it. Don’t matter if you know it or trust it. You just go an tell it what to do. Its your power Miss Danu and nobody else’s,’ said Wick. ‘I’ll sit with ya if ya like,’ he added folding his legs as hers were and copied her posture. It made her want to giggle. In fact, she did a little. As she did, she felt it, the trilling melody within her, the song of the Green Kin. It was so unbridling free. She closed her eyes and followed the sound in her mind. She found herself again in the forest heading toward the warmth of the fire. When she arrived, it was empty save the figure of Cernunnos standing, waiting, music continued to play from some unseen revellers. Danu stepped out of the forest closer to the fire and spoke.

‘I have done what you asked Cernunnos, but I lost the staff,’ she tried to hold his gaze but found it difficult.

‘Sight,’ he said and looked at her questioningly. Danu thought he meant that he had seen this happen. He seemed confused that this should bother her. It just was. It had happened and needed no further thought. That annoyed her and she couldn’t help but frown and pout her round face.

‘Then… then why did you send me there? You must know that they will do something terrible with it. And wasn’t it your beloved? Why?’ she pleaded confused and angry with the being before her. He merely tilted his head from side to side considering her many questions and frustrations. Cernunnos showed her again the picture in her mind of her holding the staff and banishing the engulfing darkness and corruption.

‘You have shown me this before!’ She snapped angrily. He recoiled slightly. This being that is far larger and more uncomprehendingly powerful than her recoiled at her shout. It was surprising to say the least. ‘Why send me if I was just going to fail,’ she said holding back as much of her frustration as she could. Cernunnos regarded here and there seemed a pained expression in those large eyes.

‘Beloved. Help. Freedom,’ he said imploringly. Danu again pouted, vexed by his lack of speech.

‘But I don’t understand,’ said Danu pleadingly. ‘That doesn’t make any sense at all! Can’t you speak plainly? You’re meant to be a God surely you can speak as I do,’ she raised her voice again. Cernunnos drew his head back recoiling at each stab of annoyance and anger from Danu. He stared at her searching for the words and soon recovered and spoke, ‘Too long… uuugh…Forgotten… mmm Words,’ he let out a long droning murmur of thought between the words. Danu looked at him in surprise.

‘Please try to remember then,’ she said more gently.

‘Many things bound… mmmm… lost, broken… ughh… unmade, sealed… hmmmm… not… not free … mmm… Green Kin are,’ he said thinking hard about how best to explain. ‘Wing Child… sight this feeling… ugghh so much like Her... Hmmm… Help,’ he said and nodded vigorously as though he was pleased with his attempt at speaking plainly. Danu could see it had been a considerable effort for the being in front of her. It was not nearly as plain as she would have liked and gave her little comfort in his words. Danu could not help but feel for this deity of the woods she had been taught to fear, seeing him struggle so plainly and with such effort to help her understand, she felt pity taking over.

‘If Pavreck frees this evil people will die Cernunnos. Why would you want that and send me here to help that?’ she said gently. The eyes regarded her and her question, deep pools of soulful blackness.

‘Errggghh…Mmmm…Speak… Witch of Memory,’ he said. Danu conceded that she could not keep trying to understand what he meant nor his motives. She certainly had no idea who or what the Witch of Memory was and dreaded attempting to decipher another of Cernunno’s explanations. Yet, there was one last thing she needed.

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‘Cernunnos. I need more of your power. I’m not yet strong enough to bring everyone out of this place. I need more,’ she said.

‘Need… more?’ he asked head swaying again.

‘Yes… I need…,’ she thought a moment about what Wick had told her. It was my power, wasn’t it? Well then, I’ll tell it what to do. ‘Make me something bigger and stronger than anything else. Now!’ she said, trying her best to sound like a woman of standing, like her mother commanding from the Seat. Cernunnos reared again in shock at her command. He eyed her quizzically, those deep pools of blackness in his eyes reflecting her own appearance back at her. Where stood the small and slight figure of Danu was now a tremendous creature, she had never seen before. She was the size of house, great twisted tusks coming from her face, she had four legs like trees and a long trunk where her nose would once have been. She was entirely covered in thick woollen shaggy hair. She went to speak but let out a sound like trumpet calls of musicians heralding a lord or lady of the kingdom. Cernunnos eyed her curiously tilting his great antlered head from side to side.

The fire, the woods around her, and Cernunnos faded from sight, and she found herself of immense size taking up all the space in the large cell dungeons. Some of the people of Tory were pressed up against the walls buffeted by her woollen form. Once the shock of the sudden transformation had worn off, they helped the weakest of the villagers onto Danu’s back and even tied some time so they would not fall off. The rest of the group moved things away from the door and wedged themselves in behind her enormous form. When they were ready Danu used all the force and strength of her new form to barrage the walls and doorway of the exit. With each ram of her tusks the entire building shook. There would certainly be Daybreakers coming to see what the commotion was, and they readied themselves to fight. Soon the brick and mortar gave way to an opening large enough for her to fit through. They moved through the large halls and were faced with a contingency of Daybreakers before them. It seemed that not all of them had gone to the guild after all. They buckled in fear at the sight of this monstrous creature before them, some even fleeing from their position.

‘Do it Danu. Charge them, break through and we will flow behind. Go now!’ cried Blink spurring her on. She did as he said and stormed forward, tusks lowered at the Daybreakers. They did their best to get out of the way and scrambled to a safe position however many tripped over one another as they went. Some collided with Danu’s form and were thrown back knocking them and others to the ground. The group ran on behind Danu, some of them looking on at the devastation she left in her wake, others cheering, having finally felt hope after their long ordeal. They charged on like this through the halls until they found themselves in the courtyard entrance to the city. Again, Daybreakers prevented their way forward. Bornwald and Lady Jadissa were with them. Even they were astounded by the creature before them. Their eyes bulging and expressions gaping with wonder. Danu wasted no time in charging them and swinging her tusks around she tossed the Daybreakers like ragdolls across the courtyard. The able-bodied members of the remaining people of Tory wielded swords and tried to fight off the enemy at her flanks. They made their way through them, and others began working on the large iron gates that barred their way to freedom. Blink and Ra’Handa supported them weaving through the crowd and fighting off any that tried to hinder them. Ra’Handa’s movements were still slow and sluggish but in the chaos of Danu’s rampage it made it easier for her to manage. Bornwald had his hands full trying to manage the tremendous form of Danu and more than once he nearly found himself gored through. Blink indicated to Ra’Handa that she should assist Danu wherever possible, and she obliged. If we lose Danu in this fight we will never get out. She must understand that. But there’s someone else I’m more concerned about.

She made her way weaving effortlessly through the throng of people fighting. It was Lady Jadissa wielding her own dark metal staff in one hand and in the other the small statue of the three-headed owl being.

‘I do not know how you managed this, but it is for nothing. Pavreck and the Daybreakers have already gone to storm your precious guild and retrieve the figure of my true power. You will fall here,’ her words venomous silk. Her beautiful grey features twisted with malice.

‘You’re the ones that will fall here,’ said Blink gesturing to the fighting that continued.

‘You poor pitiful creature. Let me show you the folly of your struggle,’ said the Lady Jadissa. She then spoke softly to the figurine in her hand. As she spoke her eyes began to glow. Blink would not allow her time to do whatever spell she planned. He moved as swiftly as his feet would allow and slashed at her. She parried his blow with her staff and a strength that belied her slight, elegant form. Lady Jadissa never stopped speaking to the statue. Blink swung his sword at her again but for naught, as again she parried and never once lost concentration of her muttering. Blink felt the heat of his anger again, he felt the flame warm from somewhere deep inside. It had not left him after all, but why now? He let go of the question and instead focussed on the flame. He fanned it gently, giving it fuel, willing it to his purpose. He thought of all those in the city that would die if they failed, he thought of Brigid in danger, he remembered the sacrifice of Nessus in the sewers, and most of all he swore to himself that he would never again feel weak or broken by another. As each memory and thought was willed into his mind he swung the sword in his hand, each blow was parried but he was sure that it grew in force against her. He felt the flame within glow and become wilder than before. It’s working. I can do this. I just need to get angrier; I just have to let it take over. He continued to will it forward. As he did his hands became hairy claws, his face felt the familiar tightening as he grew a snarling snout and long fangs protruded. I can feel it there on the edge of my mind. If I can just contain it enough to hold onto myself, maybe I can control it, he thought unsure if it would work. Again, he slashed at Jadissa never giving her a pause. His arm ached from the blows colliding with her staff repeatedly, yet he pushed on. He felt the flame within him, he imagined it filling him but never leaving his skin, he forced it into the shape of himself and held it there. The flame threatened to break free at any point and it took all his concentration to hold it in place, the right amount of fuel, the right amount of control. I’ve got this… I will hold you there and you’ll do as I say. Now was the time to try it, he thought of the bone white sword with the fur around the guard. Come to me! Come to me when I call you! Come! He demanded through every fibre of his body.

‘I COME WHEN I WILL IT SO AND NO SOONER! YOU PUP ARE NOT MY EQUAL! I AM BRANDÚLF!’ came the growling bellow from within the flame. A dark presence resided there whatever it was. But Blink hadn’t the time to think about it because the blade he had willed was there in his hands. The pink scars like a chain of words that wrapped his arms now glowed with heat as they had when he first opened the box that contained the sword. Blink could feel the power of the blade filling him, the power of Brandúlf’s Hackle. It was as though the name of the sword formed itself in his mind. He seemed to know it from somewhere deep within the flame, as it he had always known it. Unlike in the past the heat of the blade and burning of his arms no longer bothered him. He felt no pain or struggle against them. They felt part of him now. Now wielding the sword he swung at Lady Jadissa pushing her back. Her eyes still glowed, yet she had stopped muttering chants to herself. For the first time in the fight her expression changed, and she straightened her stance to prepare for him. Energy began to crackle around her staff as a small thunderstorm brewed around a central crystal at the top. She pointed it at Blink and a blast of energy streamed in his direction. He moved out of the way quickly but still caught some of the blow on his side. Jadissa continued as such, but Blink pushed forward moving between the blasts. She began to look tired, wielding this power was taking its toll on her body and Blink saw his chance. He struck forward with the sword and it found its place in her stomach. She gasped and coughed blood. There. We’ve done it. They won’t be able to follow us now, he thought to himself.

‘Good… Good boy…’ said Lady Jadissa with a wry smile and placed her hand with the small figurine on his head taking him far away from the battle.